Geography

Physical geography

Located to the east of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands archipelago consists of more than 900 islands with a total land area of 128,446 square kilometres. The six main islands are Guadalcanal, Malaita, New Georgia, Makira, Santa Isabel and Choiseul. The larger islands are volcanic, densely forested mountain ranges with steep, narrow river valleys and thin coastal plains with mangroves and coconut palms. Makarakomburu, on Guadalcanal Island, is the highest point at 2,293 metres. Little of the land is suitable for crops, although coral reefs provide plentiful fishing resources. The outer islands are small, coral atolls.

Climate

Spread out along the equator, Solomon Islands experiences a tropical monsoonal climate all year round. The mean temperature is 27 °C and humidity ranges between 60% and 90%. Annual rainfall is high, ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 millimetres. Most rain falls between November and April. Cyclones occur regularly during the summer months.

Environment

Solomon Islands has over 4,500 plant species, including about 230 varieties of orchids. Animals include opossums, bats and mice and there are more than 150 species of birds with many species of parrot and incubator bird. Forest covers about 79% of the land, with dense tropical rainforest occurring on most islands. Parts of the coast are swampy, supporting extensive mangrove forests. Inadequate controls on forestry mean that soil erosion is a major problem. Many surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying.

East Rennell is Solomon Islands’ first World Heritage listed site. Located on the southernmost Island of Rennell, the area features dense forest, Lake Tegano and numerous endemic species and is largely untouched by humans. These attributes, coupled with the climate and frequent weather events such as cyclones, means that East Rennell is an important area for scientific study.

Population

Solomon Islanders live in small villages scattered over more than 300 of its islands. Almost one-fifth of the population live in urban areas, the major ones being: Honiara, the capital city, situated on Guadalcanal; Gizo in the New Georgia Islands; Auki on Malaita; Buala on Santa Isabel; Tulagi on Nggela Sule; and Kirakira on Makira.

People

Culture and identity

The population of Solomon Islands is predominantly Melanesian, although there are smaller Polynesian, Micronesian, Chinese and European communities. The social structure is extremely diverse and complex and varies from island to island. Different customs – codes of behaviour, systems of land tenure, leadership rules, blends of traditional and world religions, marriage rules and so on – exist throughout the nation. Most communities recognise strong kinship links and obligations with the broad language group.

Carvings can be found throughout the islands, and can range from ornate ritual bowls to miniature canoe souvenirs. Music is played throughout Solomon Islands using bamboo pipes in a variety of forms, played either in sets or singly, as wind instruments or by hitting them with a rubber thong to produce a range of sounds.

The five five-pointed stars on the flag on the background of blue represent the nation’s five administrative units, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. The yellow stripe represents the sunshine and the green the land and forests.

Health

Delivery of healthcare is difficult, given the dispersed nature of the population. Life expectancy is 74 years and infant mortality rate is 16 per 1,000 live births. The leading causes of death in children under the age of five years include acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, malaria, perinatal complications and injuries. Access to safe water is 79%, while sanitation is only 28%. There are low levels of HIV/AIDS but risk factors are high.

Religion and beliefs

The vast majority of the population (95%) are Christian, but in many cases these beliefs are held alongside traditional ones.

Dances, songs and stories about war, hunting, the natural world or the harvesting of crops from the ‘time before’ are part of everyday life. A common belief is that a dead person’s spirit lives on for a time in sharks, birds or reptiles. This means these animals may become sacred for a time and tabu, forbidden to eat. These animals are treated with reverence and called upon in difficult times.

Food and shelter

Fresh seafood, chicken, green vegetables and tubers cooked in coconut milk or baked in the ground form the basis of most meals. Bush materials, such as thatched coconut leaves and woven bamboo, are used for housing in the villages.

Economy

Wealth and poverty

The country relies heavily on foreign aid. The majority of the population is involved in subsistence agriculture or fishing with less than a quarter of the population involved in any paid work.

Education and work

There are no formal school fees for students to Year 9. Enrolment for both boys and girls in primary school is high, at around 95%.  Despite these high enrolment rates many children are dropping out or repeating grades and only 32% of year 4 students meet the basic literacy standard. 

Most people in the villages are involved in food production – farming or fishing. In the towns, most people are involved in the provision of services and a small number of people are involved in industry.

Industries and products

The main crops are copra, cocoa, palm oil, rice, fruits, vegetables, spices and tobacco. There is also some processing of fish (tuna), and timber production. Tourism is limited by the lack of facilities, but some visitors are attracted by diving and surfing opportunities.

Trade

In 2012 China and Australia imported timber, fish, copra, palm oil and cocoa from Solomon Islands. Imports of manufactured goods and fuel came from Singapore and Australia.

Government

Solomon Islands became independent from UK in 1978 and follows the Westminster system of democracy with the British monarch the Head of State represented by a Governnor-General. The unicameral national Parliament comprises 50 members elected for a four-year term under a first-past-the-post voting system.

The last elections were held in August 2010 where the Reformed Democratic Party, led by Danny Phillip, aligned with a number of other political parties to form the National Coalition for Reform and Achievement and formed government. In 2011 Danny Phillip resigned and members of parliament voted to elect Gordon Darcy Lilo as prime minister.

Achievements and challenges

Cyclones and earth tremors occur regularly. In 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale resulted in a tsunami devastating the coastal areas of the Western and Choiseul provinces.

A growing population and migration to urban areas continues to place pressure on infrastructure and increase the demand for water, sanitation, housing, education and health services. The country also has one of the highest malaria rates in the world.

Ethnic violence between people of Guadalcanal and people of Malaita living in Honiara severely disrupted civil society and the economy from the mid 1990s. From 2003-2013 the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), a partnership of 15 countries, provided a comprehensive package restoring law and order, rebuilding government institutions and fostering stronger, broad-based economic growth. On 1 July 2013, RAMSI's military component was withdrawn and development assistance activities transferred to the programs of other donors, mainly Australia's.

Solomon Islands is struggling to meet the Millennium Development Goals particularly of reducing child mortality (MDG 4) and ensuring environmental stability (MDG 8). With the population spread out over hundreds of islands, and many communities in isolated areas, the delivery of essential services is difficult.

Links with Australia

Australia has a deep and longstanding relationship with Solomon Islands. In the 1860s large numbers of Solomon Islanders were recruited, sometimes by force, to work on sugar plantations in Queensland. During World War 2, Australians were involved in the struggle to liberate the islands from Japanese occupation. In the post-war period, people and business links with Solomon Islands have grown steadily and today there are estimated to be around 700 Australians resident in Solomon Islands, many engaged in small businesses and missionary work.

Australian Aid focuses on improving education, access to clean water and sanitation, promoting gender equality and creating a skilled workforce.